


The Ties That Bind

by Telcontarian



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Ben Solo Is A Giant Marshmallow, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, F/M, Professor Ben Solo, Rey Is A Teenaged Mother, Rey Kenobi, Rey Needs A Hug, Reylo - Freeform, Soft Ben Solo, Teacher-Student Relationship, gentle ben, rey is a single mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telcontarian/pseuds/Telcontarian
Summary: Professor Ben Solo rules the classroom with an iron fist and he is not generally known for his kindness or for his understanding.  However, when Rey approaches him to ask for help with her daughter, Kira, Rey finds that Ben is more gentle and caring than she originally thought.Based on the prompt: "Today in class our professor held somebody's baby for them but got tired of holding her so he asked to wear the baby carrier."
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 135
Kudos: 619
Collections: House Dadam





	The Ties That Bind

**Author's Note:**

> While writing Chapter 5 of Ashes of Eden, I came across the prompt that was posted in the Reylo Fic Recs group on Facebook: "Today in class our professor held somebody's baby for them but got tired of holding her so he asked to wear the baby carrier." Once I started writing, I just couldn't stop. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Come say hi on [Tumblr](http://telcontarian.tumblr.com>Tumblr</a>%0A%0AMoodboard%20by%20me.%0A%0A<img%20src=)
> 
> Moodboard by Me.

Rey fidgeted awkwardly in her seat, chewing the end of her pen nervously as she tried to focus on Professor Solo’s lecture. Her notebook lay blank on the desk before her and although Rey knew that she would later regret not taking notes when faced with her final exams, she really couldn’t bring herself to give a damn. Her current issue was much bigger than Professor Solo’s Pythagoras lecture.

Although Professor Solo had only been a member of the Mathematics Faculty for a little over two years, he had quickly earned a reputation as a man not to be trifled with. He cut an intimidating figure: dress shirt pulled tight over an impossibly muscular chest, his powerful thighs encased in suit trousers that fitted him like a second skin. Professor Ben Solo ruled the classroom with an iron fist, his hard, brown eyes giving his students no quarter from behind his black framed glasses. Rey had learned on the first day of Professor Solo’s lectures that he did not tolerate tardiness; he had watched from behind narrowed eyes as his students filed into the lecture theatre, his fingers drumming on the desk as he occasionally glanced at the clock on the wall. At nine o’clock precisely, he had locked the door of the classroom, ignoring the frantic pounding from the students who had failed to make the lecture on time. He ran a hand through the unruly mass of dark curls, straightened his tie and resumed his place at the front of the hall. Rey had shivered in her seat as he began the lecture, no need for Professor Solo to call for quiet as a tense hush fell over the students hanging onto each deceptively soft spoken word. 

He had little time for stupid questions and mundane requests which was precisely why Rey Kenobi had her eyes on the clock, counting down the seconds until her execution at the hands of her Mathematics Professor. She had fought tooth and nail to get to where she was today, overcome the stigma of her foster care upbringing and beating the odds of attending a prestigious university such as Coruscant on a full scholarship after becoming a young, single mother at the tender age of nineteen. She had made a lot of mistakes in her life but Kira was not one of them. Every day she strived to become a better person and create a better life for her daughter. The childcare stipend that she received from the University was not sufficient to cover Kira’s extortionate nursery fees, and she often had to rely on the kindness of her friends Finn and Rose to look after Kira while she attended her classes. Unfortunately, the couple had been called away to Rose’s ailing father’s bedside and Rey was at a genuine loss of how she could attend next Monday’s mathematics lecture. Her scholarship required 100% attendance and she could not afford to cover an additional day’s nursery fees, nor did she have any other family or friends to turn to for support. Upon learning of her pregnancy, Kira’s father had been unwilling to step up and be a parent and so he had fled. Rey knew that they were better off without him; she was more than enough for her daughter.

The bell rang, signalling the end of class and she exhaled nervously as she slowly packed up her belongings, waiting for the other students to file out before she approached the desk. “Professor Solo?” Rey fought the urge to blush as the man in question turned his dark eyes on her, his expression impassive as he regarded the petite woman before him, her fingers twisting together in her anxiety. 

Rey blinked rapidly, her throat dry and the words on the tip of her tongue as the intimidating man raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Miss Kenobi?”

Rey managed to shake herself out of her stupor, her eyes tracing the constellation of beauty marks that mapped his face. “Do you have another class? I was wondering if I could talk to you about something.”

Professor Solo frowned, glancing at his wrist watch which Rey was sure had to cost more than her annual rent. “I have office hours just now. I was just about to grab a coffee if you would like to join me?”

  
Rey nodded mutely, silently watching Professor Solo pack away his briefcase before leading her out of the lecture theatre.

* * *

The university campus café was crowded with students and lecturers alike, packed like sardines into the overstuffed leather armchairs that littered the floor space. The aroma of freshly brewed, earthy coffee filled the air, mingled with the chatter of the clientele as they neared breaking point with the stress of deadlines and exams. Rey smiled up at Professor Solo as he held the door open for her, his massive frame clearing a path quickly to the counter. “What would you like?” he asked, not taking his eyes off of the menu overhead.

“A chai tea latte, please.”

Professor Solo turned to face his student, a look of horror on his face. “That does not sound like coffee.”

“It’s not, it’s so much better. I must be the only student on campus who doesn’t like coffee.”

Solo ordered for them both, grimacing as Rey collected her abomination and led her to the empty corner table. Rey sank into the leather chair, sipping her hot drink in quiet contentment. She glanced over to Professor Solo’s drink: a cup of black americano clutched in his large hand and she snorted in amusement. “Somehow your choice of drink suits you.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her, studying his student over the rim of his cup. “Black like my soul,” he agreed. “Now, what did you want to discuss, Miss Kenobi?”

Rey carefully placed her cup on the table. “Professor Solo –“

“Ben, please.”

“I – I have a favour to ask.”

“Ask.”

“I have a daughter,” she began slowly, “Kira. She is nine-months-old.” She rummaged in her bag for her phone and selected her favourite picture of Kira before passing it over to Ben, her fingers meeting his briefly as his large hand enclosed the device, his face impassive. “My friends usually babysit when she is not in nursery but they are both out of town. I don’t have anyone to watch Kira next Monday afternoon during your lecture and I will lose my scholarship unless I have 100% attendance.”

“I see.” Professor Solo studied the picture briefly before handing the phone back to Rey. “She looks like you.”

  
“Thank god,” Rey laughed, tucking her phone back into her bag.

“Are there no other friends or family members who can watch Kira?”

Rey hesitated briefly, not wanting to divulge too much information about her childhood but she knew that Professor Solo appreciated honesty. “I grew up in foster care,” she offered quietly, taking a sip of her tea to soothe her nerves and missing the brief look of pity that flickered through Professor Solo’s eyes. “And Kira’s father is not in the picture. I don’t have anyone else and I can’t afford to put my daughter into nursery for another day this month.”

Ben frowned, leaning forward, his hands resting between his parted knees. “I’ll admit that it is unorthodox and not something that has ever occurred in my class.” He paused, and Rey could see the battle that raged within him as he ran a hand through his unruly, black hair. “But you are a good student, Rey, and I would hate to see you lose your scholarship over a situation outwith your control. If you can promise me that Kira will not be a distraction, you have my permission to bring your daughter to the lecture on Monday.”

* * *

Rey slipped quietly into the lecture hall on Monday afternoon, her eyes meeting Professor Solo’s as he nodded at her, his eyes lingering on her daughter who lay safely cocooned against her breast nestled in her harness. She had left her pram at home, finding it too bulky to navigate the winding corridors of Coruscant University and she certainly did not want to raise anymore eyebrows than she already had. Rey took her seat removing her pen, notebook and several of her daughter’s favourite toys from her satchel before slipping the harness from her body and carefully sitting Kira on the desk next to her, keeping an arm around her for support.

Kira immediately stuffed one of her soft toys into her mouth and Rey tapped her on the nose, a smile lighting up her whole face as her daughter giggled. She missed Ben’s dark eyes watching their every movement as she smoothed down the ruffles of Kira’s pink dress and readjusted the matching bow that she had painstakingly placed in her daughter’s soft, brown curls, wondering how long it would take for Kira to notice it and pull it out.

Professor Solo cleared his throat and the lecture began. Rey winced at her scribbled notes, hoping that she would be able to decipher her messy handwriting later. She focused on the lecture slides, her eyes skimming over the equations with relative ease while keeping an eye on Kira and making sure that she was entertained. She knew that it was too good to be true, however, as the toy slipped from her daughter’s chubby hands and Rey groaned softly as it disappeared over the side of the desk. Kira immediately began to fuss and Rey pulled her onto her lap, snatching another toy from the pile in an attempt to distract her daughter. She tensed, forgetting how to breathe as she realised that a tantrum was only seconds away and Rey knew that she was powerless to stop it. She had promised Professor Solo that Kira would not cause a distraction and now he was sure to kick them both out of the class.

Rey’s heart stopped as she became aware of Professor Solo pausing in his lecture, his eyes fixed on Rey and her daughter as she continued to distract Kira with her soft toy while attempting to keep up with the content that she should be studying. “I’m so sorry, Professor,” she gasped as he approached her desk, his expression unreadable as he continued to focus on the infant in Rey’s arms. “I promise I’ll get her to settle. I –“ The rest of her sentence was cut off as Ben reached for Kira, his eyes soft and understanding.

“Come here, sweetheart,” he murmured, large hands tucking effortlessly under Kira’s arms, moulding her soft body against his as he turned away from Rey to continue his lecture, acting like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to hold someone else’s child and easily pick up where he left off.

While Rey was now free to resume her note taking, she found that she could not take her eyes off of Professor Solo cradling her daughter against his powerful chest. Kira settled quietly against Ben’s warmth, her eyelids fluttering shut as the man who held her ran his large hand absent-mindedly through the soft, downy curls of Kira’s hair. It felt so right, so natural and Rey squirmed in her seat, her cheeks flushing with colour as forbidden images clouded her mind: Ben tucking her daughter in at night; lying on the sofa with Kira and Ben, his solid chest at her back as his protective arms held them both close; his large hands covering her hips as he pulled her down to straddle his waist –

_No, Rey, we are not going there._

“Miss Kenobi?”

Rey pulled the pen hastily from her mouth that she had been chewing during her illicit fantasies. “I’m sorry, sir?”

Ben frowned, his hand outstretched while the other balanced her daughter on his hip, her little body heavy with sleep. “May I have your carrier?” Her cheeks flaming, Rey stood up to assist Professor Solo in attaching the straps securely around his neck and waist, her eyes gentle as Ben slipped Kira into the carrier. She snuffled in her sleep but did not stir and Professor Solo did not seem to take notice of the little spot of drool that was now staining his shirt. His dark eyes met hers over her daughter’s head and Rey smiled before Professor Solo turned back to the projector screen and Rey resumed her seat once more.

The rest of the lecture passed quickly and before she knew it, the final bell rang and the students clambered around her, packing away their belongings with a sigh of relief. Rey followed suit and as the last of the students exited the lecture hall she made her way towards the front of the room where Ben waited for her, his dark eyes fixed on hers as he continued to cradle her daughter.

“I can’t thank you enough, Professor,” she said quietly, her fingers tracing the soft curve of Kira’s cheek. “I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.” Ben shook his head as he gathered his briefcase and Rey sucked in a deep breath as he glanced down at the sleeping child, the corners of his lips curving upwards, his eyes shining with indescribable emotion. 

“Do you have any plans?” he asked gently, seeming perfectly content to carry her child as he followed Rey from the lecture theatre, his large hand falling to span Rey’s lower back as he held the door open for her.

“No, nothing.”

Professor Solo reached out, his fingers brushing against hers as they walked side by side. “Would you like to grab a bite to eat?”

Rey smiled up at him, her cheeks stained crimson as she met his gaze, shyly lacing her fingers with his. “I’d love to.”

**Author's Note:**

> Cookies for kudos and comments


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